When the days are short and filled with rain and drear (or, I feel chilled to the bone), I retreat indoors to be with my tarot cards, books, and a warm cup of coffee. Any space can serve as a home for incubation; or a womb of one’s own that keeps me warm, safe and supported –I am adaptable.

Sometimes the womb is my own light filled apartment with a holiday tree and twinkling lights and my family. Throughout the winter there is always a pot of soup or stew on the stove, the smells add to the warm cozy feel and I’m well fed.

Sometimes the womb is the coffee-house down the street with a little bit of hustle and bustle but warm nonetheless and with ample coffee. It’s always been a perfect retreat to create tarot card of the day messages –especially for the past two years.

Sometimes, the womb is the wine bar where I’ve done tarot readings for the past five years. A warm, cozy, community filled space that gets me in out of the cold and places me next to friends and neighbors. In this space, I am able to connect with others and be a channel that offers support, encouragement and guidance in order for their dreams to emerge. I hold space and help create the womb.

If I have a comfortable, safe and supportive environment where all of my needs are met, anything is possible. I have the freedom to create. My ideas have room to grow, take shape and transform. The winter months are ideal for planning, supporting, nurturing, incubating and giving shape to ideas. A cozy environment is a must.

When I think of a tarot deck that reads as cozy, the images of the Motherpeace Tarot speaks to me most and seem to convey the type of physical and emotional warmth I am looking for. Energetically, I can feel the earth and fire elements within the deck itself and this is conveyed with the imagery too. The people represented often look social, joy-filled, confident, either willing to relax deeply or take action. Being part of a community is often highlighted even when people are alone, there is the hint of family support (or the confidence that is projected when you are supported by others). The warm rich tone of the deck supports the warm cozy feeling too. Often, I notice, people are working together, not against each other. Compromise and respecting other people’s ideas seems valued.

It’s easy for me to think of the Empress when choosing a tarot card that embodies warm and cozy.The Empress is the mother archetype of the tarot – one who nurtures easily but one who also needs nurturance and love in return. The air sign Libra is associated with the Empress which tells me in order for the Empress to express her love, ideas, and creativity, she must feel safe, supported and cared for. The Empress must feel grounded in the earth element and loved by the people within her environment.

The Empress expresses herself by being supportive of the people she loves most.Caring for others becomes an art form. Being creative herself, she creates a beautiful environment for herself and those she loves. I think of the Empress as being quite patient, she takes her time and allows others to grow into themselves. The Empress also blooms over time.

Sometimes the Empress’ creativity can be projected onto other people as she works behind the scenes to support the creative development of those she loves most. The Empress is also working on boundaries with other people, learning how to love without losing aspects of herself or giving too much of her own power away. That’s where the need for balance comes in as she learns to create it for others and herself.

I see the Empress using all of the elements in different ways. The Empress wants to express herself and looks for creative ways to do so (Air and Water). I see her reach for the tools of Fire and Earth to support her path. A social person, other people stimulate her and might ground through her even though she is often an air sign.

The Empress is happiest when life feels balanced, people are getting along and things flow smoothly and there is time to relax. When the Empress is relaxed her ideas (Air) can be brought down to the ground and she can give them shape (Earth).

The Empress has the ability to create with her physical body. Growing a physical human is an obvious form of expression as well as creating with her own hands in whatever way she sees fit, whether that is through cultivating an herb garden, cooking gumbo or painting a landscape. Ideas are expressed by grounding them in the day-to-day world. I see Fire and Earth being expressed here too as another human might creates fire within and an expectant mother feels the heat of that life.

The Empress stays healthy if she can tend to her inner landscape and express her creativity in the ways she sees fit. The Empress is stimulated by the fire within others. She benefits by helping to contain it and shape it herself through her loving guidance. Sometimes the community gathering brings the fire element that keeps the stimulation alive and well in her environment.

The Empress strives to create balance. Her appreciation of beauty is evident in the environment and how she takes care of herself and others. There is a sense of forward movement. Things grow and change over time (Water). Energy is manipulated and transformed and the Empress is adaptable and moves with the flow of energy. Because the Empress often puts the needs of others ahead of her own, self-care is something she is always working on. Over time, energy leeks need to be tended to and repaired. A well cannot continue to give without being replenished. Boundary work is the work of a lifetime.

I’ve created a tarot spread inspired by the Empress. In order to create “A Womb of One’s Own” self-care and boundaries must be prioritized in order to have the energy to create. Thinking of the cozy womb, I chose a 9 month cycle thinking, what do I need to express my best self? What do I need when I create?

This spread expresses the last 9 months leading up to this moment and the next 9 months. What you learned from the past 9 months is meant to be put into action in the next year.

The first 3 cards:What foundation needs to be in place in order to express your best sense of self? What do you need to survive and thrive? What resources are you working with? How do you take care of yourself?

Seeing the Shaman of Wands is not a surprise. I have Chiron in Aries and during the past 9 months I’ve been feeling called to heal a soul wound. Something I’ve learned is, in order for me to express my best sense of self and to fully come into my leadership abilities I must feel like I have a safe and supportive base free of conflict. The 5 of Coins and the 5 of Swords at the base tell me my immediate needs must be taken care of and I must feel safe, comfortable and loved. In my environment, things begin to unravel if there is a lot of tension, secrecy or people are in conflict. It’s important for me to see others being supportive and encouraging of each other, if I see people gossiping or being overly critical of others it shuts me down and I don’t have the desire to participate or to share my abilities. I have learned: I can create something that is simple, stable and that will be long-lasting. When I focus on communication that is open, generous, upbeat and positive, it flows easily and I know my next step will be supported and encouraged because I am responsible for cultivating it myself.

The second 3 cards:How do you create balance? Who or what is assisting you with creating stability, safety and maintaining healthy boundaries? How do you express your best sense of self when balance and boundaries are supported and maintained?

Seeing the Hanged One is not a surprise either. Forces I cannot see stepped in to create balance for me. I was aware of a karmic debt being paid (Justice), as karma was cleared I began to feel unsupported and suspended and questioned my ability to control my destiny and path. What was I doing? I learned that I create balance by trusting and allowing. I don’t have all of the answers, nor do I want them. It was time for me to reflect on my experience and to truly see. Was my environment safe and supportive? Did people have boundaries? Was I balanced in my own life? In the end, the hard answer was a no.

My best sense of self is represented by the Shaman of Water. As an empath, in the past 9 months I took on a lot energetically. it was hard not to be aware of what I was feeling and how it affected me energetically. In the end, I felt drained. My spirit guides stepped in and said no for me. In the next 9 months, I don’t need to take on karmic debt that belongs to others and I can work harder to protect myself from people who have poor emotional and energetic boundaries. I am responsible for my own self care and creating those boundaries. In the next year, as I move forward, I am healing some energy leeks within myself and as I focus inward, I use my own healing gifts to heal my self. Maybe some of the healing comes from focusing on my own creativity.

The third 3 cards: How is less more? What do you do to preserve energy? How are you discerning with who you share your energy with? Is there anyone in your environment who takes or uses your energy without your permission? How do you protect yourself?

The 8 of Wands tells me that about 9 months ago I felt all fired up and my energy felt aligned with others who were working in a similar fashion. I was excited to be moving in a new direction. There was forward momentum and the sense that everyone was carrying their own weight energetically speaking.

I was in an environment where there was a lot of fire energy and after some time I felt burned out (10 of Wands). I was so fatigued, I had to shut the door and tend to my own sense of self. I had to create a womb of one’s own in order reclaim my sense of self and to create balance (4 of Coins).

In the next year, I know, when I create better boundaries for myself, take the time I need to care for myself, I can renew my own sense of creativity and stoke the creative fire within. When I look forward, I know my own energy and internal fire is supported by appropriate down time and space from others. I need quiet and solitude free of mind chatter to feel healthy. Meditation is a must.

As I move forward with leadership goals and share my intuitive and creative gifts, I must be discerning and respect my own boundaries and call others out when I feel like my boundaries are not being respected. I am my own boss. I decide what is right for me. I trust myself and I know how to protect myself.

If you feel called to try my “A Womb of One’s Own” tarot spread, please feel free to share the results in the comments!

The week ahead tells me you should focus in on a few areas. If you are an adult, there will always be a bit of juggling when it comes to your work, family and self-care, but try to balance it out this week. I see you choosing three areas: Maybe you start the week with your actual work and get feed back on an important project, then spend a few days focused on yourself doing the heavy work: cleaning, clearing and releasing what no longer serves you (I know the expression “release what no longer serves you” is all over the place, but it 100 % fits in this context). If you spend the time on yourself you will have the energy for a gathering this Friday.

deck used: Smith-Waite Tarot

Sure, we all have to juggle our work and family life with our creative efforts, but we also need to make time and space to clean, clear and release anything that is related to our shadow in order to make the space for a new year and a shiny new light-filled you in 2019. As you bring 2018 to a close, you do not have to bring everything or everyone with you, and you don’t have to bring a lifestyle or thought pattern that doesn’t benefit you either. What do you need to shed? What can you do without? If you’ve been deep into some shadow work this year, some type of ritual is in order. Make the time and create the space to let a little light into your heart. Take care of yourself.

Monday: 3 of Coins

You have something important you are about to reveal. You’ve worked hard on it for many years, but you are about to put your best foot forward and you will become much more visible by doing so. You are stepping up your game. As more people see you and you become more visable, there is no need to over-explain why you made certain choices or why things look a certain way, your work will speak for itself. There is something refreshing about someone who is able to receive a compliment or criticism and be humble about it. I know your opinion matters most about your work, but learning how to accept another person’s opinion gracefully is a skill. Continue to pay attention to the details of your work and fold in the information you receive. Some of the new information will be constructive criticism, take what feels valid to you and release what seems unnecessary. Keep going. Stay consistent. You have your own voice and your own style.

Tuesday: Death

I love the expression: You can’t step into the same river twice. Do you know why? Because a river is always changing, it grows and it flows. Flowing water continually refreshes and renews itself just as you should.

Feeling stuck? Put your work away and focus on yourself. When you wake up, make a huge batch of a simple tea and include: piping hot water, lemon, ginger, honey and turmeric (in whatever portions you feel are appropriate for your taste buds). Eat 2 or 3 piece of fresh fruit and have a hardboiled egg. Then choose a room in your house to clean and get to work. Maybe it’s your kitchen. Get rid of stuff you don’t want or need. Maybe you have old cookware or dishes you never use. Look in your refrigerator and throw away any old food, expired items or ice cream that’s been in the freezer for a year. Look in your cupboards and do the same. Throw away ancient spices and stale crackers. Then clean your kitchen really well using warm water and mild soap. Sprinkle in some rock salt and rosemary if you wish. Focus on the thought of getting rid of what you don’t want in your life while you are cleaning. This can even be a person who is bad for you or a thought pattern that isn’t healthy. Clean and clear, clean and clear, clean and clear. Make space for something new to emerge. Once your kitchen is in order make a simple vegetable soup for yourself using a rainbow of vegetables, vegetable broth and plenty of garlic, ginger, turmeric and lemon. When you get hungry, eat this throughout the day. Sip your tea throughout the day.

Wednesday: The Hermit

After yesterday’s external and internal cleaning it’s time to get quiet and wait for some messages to be revealed. If you have a quiet space in your home you should go to it. Maybe you have an altar there, you should refresh it with some of your intentions for the new year. Maybe you have a yoga practice or want to do some stretching. It’s a good time for reflection. You now have the head space to quietly observe and let go. Some things might have happened this year that created some pain and sadness. Let it go. You don’t need it anymore. You can learn from it and you can definitely teach from it, but don’t carry any sadness or pain into the new year.

Thursday: The Empress

You are still working on self-care. Take a bath with some epsom salts and give yourself a mini pedicure when you get out. Choose a special outfit that reveals your special sparkle. You don’t have to look good for anyone but you. Look good for yourself. Put your best foot forward. You might feel inspired to create. Maybe you buy some beautiful flowers to be a centerpiece for your table or decide to make your home feel extra warm and inviting. Nurture yourself and then you will have the energy to nurture others.

Friday: 10 of Cups

Happy Solstice! Make time for friends and family today. You’ve done a lot of soul-searching this week and you are feeling refreshed from the work. You’ve created the emotional and energetic space to let some people in. Create some special memories with your family. Share a cup of holiday cheer. Express gratitude to those who know you and love you best. Shine a little more light into your own heart.

How did your week turn out? Did the cards ring true for you? What would happen if you made the decision to create space for yourself? To focus in on just a few areas? Let me know how it turns out in the comments!

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Here’s a picture of me reading tarot for a friend way back in the day.

Hello! My name is Traci. I am a professional tarot reader. I’ve been reading tarot in Portland, Oregon for over 15 years. I created this blog to explore the intuitive process using the tarot, moon cycles, astrology and the seasons. I look at tarot as an art form, it’s deeply personal, so, for me it’s process over perfection. Sometimes my style is quick and dirty because that’s what gets the job done. A journey with me can be in fits and starts. It’s more about exploration.